Food for Thoughts: Greeting Cards to Feed the Hungry

I am constantly inspired by the growing number of companies that exist with the purpose of benefiting the greater good either by helping the environment or other people. Food for Thoughts Cards is the latest company I’ve learned about that is doing just that and it all started with one woman’s consistent acts of kindness.

For years, Connie Charney was commuting from her home in New Jersey to New York’s Penn Station and every day, she would bring a peanut butter and jelly sandwich along and give it to someone who was in need. In 2013, she decided to turn her passion for feeding the hungry and love of greeting cards into a business. With the help of a graphic artist, she was able to come up with a design that resembles the very sandwiches that she gave away with each visit to the city. For $3.25, you can purchase a greeting card and the cash equivalent of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is donated to a food pantry, soup kitchen or other organization that feeds the hungry. And as if that wasn’t enough, all of the cards are printed on 100% post consumer recycled paper.

A visit to the Food for Thoughts website shows many adorably designed cards that can be purchased for birthdays, holidays, congratulations and “thinking of yous”. The cards are also available in over 50 retail stores around the United States, where they think locally. When a store buys the cards, they are able to select a food pantry in their area to receive the Food for Thoughts Cards donation.

What Connie has been able to accomplish in the last few years by donating over the cash equivalent of over 24,000 sandwiches to those in need, is nothing short of amazing and she’s an inspiration every day. So many people just walk past someone who they see may be hungry without a second thought and she’s been able to take a simple act of kindness and allow so many others to continue that act. In an age when we’re so used to just sending a quick text to someone when it’s their birthday or you’re thinking of them, imagine how nice it would be to send someone a nice little card to brighten their day but also know that you are helping someone who is in need — it’s that easy!